major problem, fixing computer for a friend...not sure how bios should be set up...but no matter how iv'e done it so far i've gotten 1) LOUD hard drive, and windows xp pro screen that doesn't load windows 2) "pxe-e61: media test failure...exiting intel pxe rom, os not found"...i've tried the boot order, auto-detect settings...i have no idea, please help !!!!!

Any time I hear a LOUD HD that usually means the drive is BAD. I'd replace it. Could be the source of all your problems.

the sound goes away w/ different bios settings...btw, bios defaults lead to the pxe-e61 error!

Sorry I can't help you, but I've never heard of a software setting (BIOS) that could make a hd louder or softer. I still think it's the drive from your description and the error you're getting. Maybe someone else will have another idea. Good luck.

I agree with donaldk. Try another hard drive.

My boot order prefferances are as follows, lst=hd0 2cd=floppy 3rd-cdrom Computer starts faster when you have harddrive as your first boot device. That is where windows is and thats as far as the computer has to look to boot. As to your problem, Was this a running system and started having a problem or are you installing windows or what? os not found"... That doesnt sound good!